Staff prescribe dose of surgery-cutback facts for Government

By TONY GEE

Kaitaia Hospital staff and midwives are trying to get Health Minister Annette King and Prime Minister Helen Clark involved in their fight against surgery cuts and a ban on caesarean operations in Kaitaia.

A petition signed by many of the 200-odd staff at the hospital was faxed to Mrs King and Helen Clark yesterday.

It called for the reinstatement of full surgical services and the resumption of caesarean operations at the hospital, as well as expressing a lack of confidence in Northland Health.

"We're fed up with the misinformation being fed to the minister by Northland Health and the district health board about the situation at Kaitaia Hospital," said Stephanie Getty, clinical manager of Kaitaia Maternity Services there.

"We want Annette King to come up here and get the true picture instead of hearing only from board members. It's frustrating."

Northland Health suddenly stopped after-hours and weekend surgery at the hospital late in May. It said a shortage of anaesthetists and specialist back-up staff was putting patient safety at risk.

Two weeks ago, caesarean operations were also halted at the hospital after surgeons there were told they no longer had the credentials to perform them.

Pregnant women needing the operation at any time, and anyone requiring acute surgery after 5pm and at weekends, now must go by ambulance or helicopter to Whangarei, 155km away.

Last week, a woman suffering serious childbirth complications was flown from Kaitaia to Whangarei because the surgeon and specialist anaesthetist on hand at Kaitaia Hospital were not allowed to operate on her.

Mrs Getty said yesterday that a walkout by hospital midwives over the new protocol was "on the cards". She could not speak for other staff, but said if all midwives "downed tools for a few hours" it was likely to affect the operation of the hospital.

Northland Health and the health board say they will not comment until a review of Kaitaia Hospital is reported to the Ministry of Health. It is due at the end of this month.